Where's the love?
by LauraJanIce
Summary: Takes place the days before and during 'Hells Bells' season 6 , except that Buffy didn't break up with Spike in 'As you were' but came to terms with their relationship. But they are still hiding it from the others.
1. Chapter 1

**Where's the love?  
**

**Rating:**R.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Spike, Angel/Cordelia, Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara.  
**Genre:**Romance/Humor/Angst (but just a little)  
**Disclaimer:**These aren't my imaginary friends. Someone else imagined them and put them on television to share them with me.  
**Summary:**This is set in season 6 and is kind of a rewrite of _Hells Bells_ except in _As You Were_ Buffy didn't break up with Spike, she came to terms with their relationship but they are still keeping it hidden from the others.  
**  
Author's note:**This is a response to a challenge posted, probably a few years back, on BSdiaries (for some reason they won't let me put a link here). If you're too impatient to wait 'till the end of the story and go searching for it, it's #17. But I think it's probably more fun to read the story first.  
If you think that I'm making a complete fool of myself please tell me.  
P.s. I suck at titles. This one is taken from a Hanson song that is frequently mentioned in the story, otherwise it would just be Challenge #17. And a Hanson song was btw one of the requirements from the challenge.

**Chapter 1**

Buffy woke up to the phone ringing. It was the middle of the night. For her it was still Friday night although others might consider it as Saturday morning. The phone was ringing. It wouldn't stop unless she answered it. Slowly she stretched out a hand and fumbled on top of her bedside table blindly until she found the phone and brought it to her ear.

"Hello," she almost whispered in her sleepy voice.

"Buffy, it's Angel" a deep voice on the other end said.

She was awake as soon as she heard his voice. "What's wrong?" she asked in return, her voice getting stronger.

"Nothing serious."

Buffy let out a relieved sigh. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of this nicely timed call?"

"I'm very sorry to call you like this but we don't have any other options," Angel calmly explained. "Me and Cordelia are in Sunnydale. It was only supposed to be a day trip with driving here and back during the night and staying inside during the daytime. But the car broke down just as we were leaving, there's no way to get a hotel room and we really need a place to crash for the day. You know I wouldn't ask if I thought there was any other way…"

Buffy couldn't help but smiling to herself. This was so typical.

"Buffy?" Angel asked carefully.

"Sorry. This really isn't the best of times for you two to come visiting but I guess I could put up a couple of cots in the basement if that's enough."

"Thanks, Buffy."

Buffy wondered if this was really happening. If this wasn't just some freaky dream. Could it really be that Angel was standing on her doorstep asking for a place to stay and with Cordelia, of all persons? And now of all times?

But there they were.

"Can I ask what brings you to Sunnydale this time?" she asked while they put up the cots in the basement. Buffy was mostly just curious but she was giving them a place to stay and not everyone would be happy to have them there.

"It's all my fault," Cordelia said before Angel got a chance to answer. "My parent's dealings with the IRS are finally coming to and end and my old house is being sold. I still had some stuff in the attic and asked Angel to come with me to get it. I'm really thankful that you're letting us stay. We were thinking about checking if the old factory was still there but I couldn't go back there after what happened the last time I was there and that only left you."

Buffy was surprised that Cordelia was thanking her for a cot in a damp basement but wondered when Cordelia had last been at the factory. Then it came to her. The rebar through her chest after finding Xander and Willow together. 'Oh, God! Xander!' Buffy thought. Maybe Angel wasn't the only problem. Anya and Xander would be here early tomorrow morning.

"Cordelia," Buffy started. " I think there's something I should warn you about?"

"Don't tell me you have a pest problem down here, please."

Buffy smiled. This was the Cordelia she knew. "No, it's nothing like that. You know that Xander's getting married, right?" Oh God how she hoped someone had told her.

"Yes, I heard about that."

Buffy sighed in relief. "Well, the wedding is on Sunday…," she explained, "…and he and Anya will be here early…. to avoid the unpleasant relatives that have taken over their place."

"Oh great." Cordelia sighed. "You're telling me that I practically couldn't have found a worse time to be shipwrecked at your place?"

"Well…"

"But hey. It was a long time ago. I don't have a problem with it. But if you think he… or they will, I can just stay down here… you don't even have to let him know that I'm…" her look gazed over to Angel who had sat down on one of the cots "… we are here."

"No. There's no need." Buffy said. "I just wanted you to know the sitch. Xander won't be that mad…. At you" she looked at Cordelia than turned to Angel, "But it's my house and because of the wedding he doesn't have the time to give me much trouble about it. I'll try to minimize the racket tomorrow morning so you can get some sleep but I can't guarantee in what kind of condition Anya will be."

"Don't worry about it," Angel replied. "And thanks again. We don't want to be any worry. Go and try to get some more sleep. We'll manage."

Buffy didn't need to be told twice to go back to sleep. She just said 'Good night' and started up the stairs.  
Even if her body felt tired her brain didn't seem to be tired when she got back to her room. It seemed to be working on overtime going back and forth through places and persons from her memory.

Buffy' remembered the first night Angel had spent in this house. They hadn't even been a couple then but already he was the most precious thing in her life. Boy, were things different now. After their last meeting, right after she came back from the dead, the times when she thought of him had become fewer and fewer.  
Still, she had recognized his voice on the phone instantly, that maybe would never change.  
But now she had so much more in her life than back then: Dawn, Spike, herself and not him. And he didn't have her.

Spike, that was another thought. Angel and Cordy would better have to be gone before he turned up. There was no knowing how he would react to Angel staying in the house, except that he wouldn't like it at all. He might even reveal their secret just to piss him off. She didn't want it to be like that.  
She didn't really expect the telling her friends about her and Spike would go down well, but Spike telling Angel out of pure spite was one of the less appealing scenarios.  
She wanted to wait until after the wedding to tell them. She didn't want to ruin this happy time for Xander but after the wedding they were telling them. She didn't know exactly how… Maybe just a demonstration, no words necessary…

She loved Xander, but sometimes she wished he was a little less overprotective of her… it would make life just a little easier.  
Xander wouldn't like having Angel around tomorrow but that was only temporary. Spike wasn't temporary.

On the thought of that particular blond vampire she finally drifted to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Story rating:** R  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing… except a bus-card, but that has nothing to do with this.  
**Where are we?**Buffy and Spike are an item but no one knows. Xander and Anya are getting married and Angel and Cordelia just popped in for a visit… sort of.

**Chapter 2**

At half past seven sharp Buffy heard the front door open and close. It couldn't already be time to get up. There must still be a few hours until she had to be up, even if Anya had insisted on having a breakfast meeting to go over the last details for the wedding.

"Time to wake up good Summers ladies," she heard Xander yell from down stairs. Willow must already be up, Buffy thought.

When the Slayer finally came down the stairs and saw the basement door the events of the night came back to her. _Shit._

"Hey, tried to make a little less noise. Angel and Cordelia are asleep down in the basement. Maybe we should go into the living room. Ooo doughnuts," she added while shooing them towards the living room. "Great."

"Just a little peace offering for turning the Scoobies into the Scooby wedding planners extraordinaire," Xander blabbered happily before realizing fully what Buffy had just said. "Did you just say Angel and Cordelia are in the basement?"

It would have been to good to be true if he hadn't noticed. All of the sudden everyone had registered her words and three pairs of eyes were staring at her in surprise.

"What?" she answered in a defensive tone of voice. "They called here in the middle of the night. They were going to drive to L.A. but their car broke down and they needed a place to crash. What was I supposed to do? Let him turn to dust on my doorstep?"

"I would've swept the porch for you," Xander mumbled.

"Xander, that was just cruel," Willow said.

"Wait," Xander started again. "Did you say Cordelia was with him?" Buffy watched his face get whiter. "Does she know about the wedding?"

"You're ex is sleeping with Buffy's ex in Buffy's basement two nights before our wedding. Interesting." Anya supplied matter-of-factly.

"Not with, with?" Xander looked suspiciously at Buffy who shrug her shoulders in return. "We put up two cots but I didn't really check if both are in use. And don't worry, I told her you'd be here and she doesn't have a problem with it. So any wedding business to discuss?"

Buffy didn't really think there was much left to do before the wedding but Anya seemed to think it would at least take one human lifetime to complete. The girl was really freaking out and really getting on everyone's nerves.

Xander had been trying to get her to calm down but without any luck. "Anya honey," he tried softly once more. "We've got the list. It's nothing really tricky still left to do. It just needs to be done and we can do it. Maybe it would be good for you to do something totally different for a while, you know, just to take your mind off things?"

"Like what?"

"Go shopping or something. Then in a couple of hours you can see what we've done already and reassure yourself that we didn't forget anything. Okay?"

Before Anya had a chance to answer everyone's attention was drawn to Cordelia who was standing in the doorway smiling warmly. "Hi, guys."

Even if the matter had already been discussed the atmosphere was a little awkward. "How's the wedding coming," she asked. "I'd love to help if there's something to do."

"Actually we have it under control," Xander answered sheepishly not being used to Cordelia being so nice, even while they had been dating. "Anya was actually just going to the mall to take her mind of things for a little while, weren't you honey?"

"But Xander. It's no fun going alone."

Willow and Buffy both held there breaths neither eager to go shopping with Anya on a normal day but today with her nervousness on top of her normal personality it would be sheer torture.

Xander looked around worried.

"I don't think we can't really spare anyone of us if we're going to get this done. It's not really a problem to do it. We just have to do it," Willow tried to explain hoping she would at least manage to excluder herself from the dreaded task.

"It might be a little strange and I'll understand if you don't want to," Cordelia intervened, "but I could go with you. I love to shop and I also need to get a few things since I didn't really pack for an overnight trip."

"Great," Anya replied cheerfully. "Let's go." She grabbed Cordy's arm and started dragging her towards the door.

"Eehm, Cordy?" Buffy called after the two girls. "Angel… we could put up some blankets if he…"

"He's still sleeping, don't worry. He was really beat." After that the door slammed and the girls were gone.

The three friends enjoyed the few minutes of silence until Dawn, upstairs in her room, turned up her stereo and started blasting her new favorite song: Hanson's _Where's the love_. She had found the CD among some things Buffy had been ready to throw away.

"Not that again," Buffy sighed having heard this song more often in the past two days that in the six years she had had that stupid CD. "Dawn! Turn it down!" she yelled not surprisingly without any effect. If the music hadn't drowned out Buffy's yell Dawns inspired sing-a-long surely had. Buffy let herself fall back on the couch in defeat and let out another sigh.

Xander was coming to from his more or less frozen state ever since Cordelia had appeared from the basement. "My fiancée going shopping with my ex the day before your wedding? That can't be good," he said to himself or anyone listing, sounding scared.

"Xander, I think Anya is going to be ok. Cordelia is the one I could be worried about," Willow replied.

"Maybe I should go after them. Make sure no one gets hurt… or talking…"

"Xander, no! We need to get started on the place cards and we can't really loose any hands." Project leader Willow was on since project tyrant Anya was gone.

"Oh God. I've had enough of this crap. I'm going up there and breaking that CD." Buffy stormed off up the stairs towards her sister's bedroom.

"Tell her to come down here and help us," Willow called after her friend. "But for Gods sake break the CD," she added in a little lower voice.

It was getting late into the afternoon and Anya and Cordy still weren't back. Buffy, Xander, Willow and Dawn were finally finished with the place cards and had arranged them into bundles according to tables so they could be more easily distributed at the venue tomorrow morning.

Buffy suddenly felt a familiar tingling at the back of her neck turned around to face Angel who was standing in the doorway. He couldn't come further into the sunlight filled room with the blinds open.

"Hi. I had almost forgotten you were here. I'll just close the blinds for you." She got up and headed towards the window.

"You don't have to, Buffy."

"I know. Did you sleep well?" she asked like a proper host should ask a houseguest.

"Yes. Thanks. I really needed it. Do you have a phone book I could borrow?"

"Sure." She led him into the kitchen. "What do you need it for?"

"Looks like I might need to find a place to stay for the night and tomorrow. I just talked to the mechanic working on the car and he won't be able to finish the repairs until tomorrow."

"Try, but if you don't find anything you can stay here again. It's no big deal – if you can tolerate the chaos of course."

"Thanks, Buffy. But I'll try to get something."

Ten minutes later he came into the living room again hesitantly entering it this time. "Buffy, if your offer still stands I think we might have to take you up on it. There's absolutely nothing available."

"Sure." She got a crazy idea that brought an evil grin to her face. "But you have to help. How are your flower arranging skills? We were just about to get started on the table center pieces."


	3. Chapter 3

**Story rating:**R  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing… except a bus-card, but that has nothing to do with this.  
**Where are we?**The Scoobies are now the Scooby Wedding Planners and have Angel arranging flowers. Anya and Cordy went shopping long ago and Spike has yet to make an appearance.

**Chapter 3**

Anya and Cordy didn't return until it was getting dark. And Anya wasn't just carrying bags from various boutiques but also a little yellow kitten.

"Xander, look what I found just lurking around a dark alley behind the mall all alone and lost."

"Anya, we cant' take in a kitten," he replied helplessly. "First of all it's not allowed in our building and second our apartment is, at the moment, smack full with our terrible relatives."

"But we can't just go on and leave him all alone in the street," Anya whined almost on the verge of bursting into tears. And for her to get so emotional over any living thing other than herself or Xander was highly unusual.

"Ooooh how cute!" Dawn shrieked coming down the stairs and seeing the little cat on Anya's arm.

Within a second Anya and Dawn were joined on the couch petting the little kitten and discussing name options. Anya was opting for 'Mini Xander' while Dawn was arguing for a strong good name like 'Zac Hanson'.

Cordelia, who looked overcome with fatigue, pulled Buffy and Xander aside. "I'm sorry, guys but I just couldn't talk her out of brining it along. I tried but nothing worked. I've managed to talk a vampire out of biting me, a crazy ghost from haunting me and Wesley into going shopping with me, but nothing stopped her from taking that creepy little thing with her."

"It doesn't matter," Xander said. "I'll figure something out."

"God. I'm so tired," Cordy said and flung herself into the armchair opposite the couch. She noticed Angel sitting at the dining room table busy with the flowers.

"Angel, are you arranging flowers?"

"I like it." He replied. "It's very soothing."

"And he's very good at it." Willow added like a proud teacher.

Cordy shook her head. This was just too weird.

Buffy excused herself from the party in her living room and went to get something to drink. She had hardly entered the kitchen when something grabbed her by the wrist and harshly pulled her towards the pantry closing the door behind them.

The walk in cupboard was just large enough to enclose two slim people standing up.

"Are you trying to kill me by giving me a heart attack, Spike?" she asked slightly irritated at the not so pleasant surprise. Any other time his move might have been enjoyable but she could feel it in the touch of his fingers on her wrist that he was not a cute sneaky thing. He was mad at her and she didn't need to ask why.

"So, how's it going? The bloody ponce lost his soul yet?"

"Spike! That's not fair. What do you think I am? I've been with you two weeks and you already think I'm cheating on you?"

"Aren't you? The house is so full of his stench that he has to be staying here. Don't try to argue it."

"He slept in the basement…" Buffy explained calmly seeing that this was not easing Spike at all.

He pressed his lips angrily together, his jaw clenched and his eyes lowering in disappointment.

"… with Cordelia." She added to hopefully ease his torment. "If there's any happy in the charts for Angel it's not going to be with me."

"Really?" Spike asked still not sure if to believe her.

"Yes. Really. It's strange really, how easy it's to be around him. We're just like old friends, who used to be close but haven't stayed in touch… There's no spark beyond that. You can relax. I think we're finally both over each other."

"Pet, I trust you with my life. But the bloody poof just gets to me and there's no way I'm going to relax until he's back in L.A. again."

"Come on. I didn't even know they were in Sunnydale until they showed up on my doorstep in the middle of the night. Their car broke down and can't be fixed until tomorrow…"

"What! He's staying another night? Christ, Buffy! That's it. I'm staying too. There's no way I'll just sit back in my crypt while he's here trashing my life once more."

"Spike, you can't, the wedding's tomorrow."

"Fine. I'll climb through the window. No one will know a thing unless they come barging through your bedroom door and if someone with an overly large forehead and an obnoxious amount of gel in his hair, should feel a sudden urge to do that, I will be there to protect my girl?" His last words were uttered in hope of only receiving a small blow for slip of tongue.

To Spike's surprise there was no scolding at all. Buffy just sighed in defeat, probably the thirtieth time today. No one seemed to listen to her anymore. "Fine. Just be careful and quiet. And beware of Xander also. I'm not sure how long he will be around. He really doesn't want to go home to all the cousins and relatives."

"Well, if they're anything like him I really can't blame him." No way he was going to pass up such a prime opportunity to ridicule the whelp. Too bad he wasn't here in person to hear it. On second though it came to him that he and Buffy were standing tight together in a small, enclosed dark space. Maybe it was good that the whelp wasn't there.

Buffy felt the atmosphere in the cupboard change in the blink of an eye. Spike's anger was gone. It had been defeated by a stronger emotion, or mix of emotions: sensuality, lust, thrill and a splash of care and love shimmering in between.

She felt the hand, that just seconds before had been forcefully encircled her wrist, travel down her back and coming to rest on her hip. His other hand went in the opposite direction finding the back of her neck and steering her head gently towards a pair of hungry lips that her own were happy to meet. Her arms went around his waist and pulled him closer to her and she moaned into his mouth at the sensation.

If it hadn't been for the light suddenly flooding into the closet they probably wouldn't have noticed the door opening. Outside staring in was one dark haired vampire in complete shock. The pair in the closet was equally surprised and stunned to see him standing there. One of them was also feeling incredibly smug and took advantage of his grandsire's frozen state to lean forward, grab the doorknob and close the door again.

Buffy giggled at his move, surprised how she was not panicking over what had just happened. "That's not gonna make it go away, you know."

Angel watched the door to the pantry close on him. His body didn't move even if his mind's first reaction was to break the door into splinters and drive one of them through the heart of the blond man he had just found in the closet.  
Much to his dismay, his mind also managed to realize that there was a good chance that the blond woman inside would soon after to the same to him.

He just turned around and caught Xander who was walking past the kitchen back to the living room.

"Hey, Xander… wait," Angel called after him not too loud.

"What you didn't find any napkins in the pantry? I'm sure they are there. I put them…"

"Xander. Stop. Has Buffy been acting at all strange or different lately?"

"Well, we pulled her out of heaven, man. What do you think? But she seems to be getting better. Smiling again and being happy."

"And she's been spending time with Spike?" Angel probed further.

"Yeah. He helps her patrol and Dawn grew very attached to him during the summer so he's around. Where are you going with this?"

"It just seems to me that they're doing a bit more than patrolling together. Except they're fighting each other's mouth bacteria's with their tongues."

Xander turned even paler than Angel. "You mean…" He didn't get any further before falling unconscious to the floor.

---

Spike lowered his mouth to hers again. She was reluctant at first to respond to his caress still in shock from the fact that her ex had just walked in on her smooching the one person on Earth that he hated the most, but finally gave in to him a little.

"I think we have to go deal with this now," she managed to whisper into his hear in between their tongue wrestling matches.

"Not quite yet, kitten," he whispered back at her and slid his tongue once again into her mouth.

----

Angel's reflexes were not up to full speed after his shock so he only managed to grab one of Xander's shoulders on his way to the floor just milding the blow slightly.

Anya, Willow, Dawn and Cordelia all came rushing into the hall at the noise.

"O my God. What did you do to him, you evil thing," Anya yelled hysterically shooing a very sheepish looking Angel away from her precious Xander. "If you bit him… I don't want my husband to have bite marks on his wedding day."

Angel just let the scary girl push him away and didn't even respond to her accusations. Could it be possible that Xander had had and even worse reaction the news of Spike and Buffy than he?

Cordelia saw herself forced to uphold Angels honor since he was obviously not going to do it himself. "He didn't bite him, you idiot," she yelled back at Anya. "He doesn't bite people. Not even people he doesn't like."

Angel noticed Buffy and Spike appear from the kitchen, holding hands. No one else seemed to notice them.

"You told _him?_" Buffy asked Angel stunned and gave him a furious look. "Couldn't you at least tell someone who wouldn't go completely apeshit if you had to tell someone?"

She trudged back into the kitchen but came back right away with a glass of water and spilled it onto Xander's face causing him to finally wake up.

Xander looked at the people standing all around him first settling his look on Anya's face then meeting Angel's eyes and finally looking for Buffy and Spike and then Buffy again. "Oh God," he moaned and let his body fall back on Anya's hands.

"Please, Buffy, tell me it's not true."

"What are you talking about," Willow asked confused.

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way. We weren't going to tell you until after the wedding." Buffy explained apologetically.

"So someone finally found out about Buffy and Spike," Dawn asked almost sounding bored.

"You knew?" Spike was stunned.

"What do you think I am? Deaf, dumb and blind girl or something? You guys are so obvious." She said walking towards the stairs and up to her room.

"Okay. Apparently I'm deaf, dumb and blind girl here." Willow was still confused. "Buffy? What's with you and Spike?"

"Ehm Willow. Me and Spike… we're… ehm…"

"Bloody hell," Spike snarled before once more grabbing Buffy's wrist, turning her towards him and planting a firm but rather innocent kiss on her lips.

"That clear enough for you, red?"

"Oh." Willow squealed. "I think I get the general idea."


	4. Chapter 4

**Story rating:** R  
**Disclaimer:** I didn't invent Buffy, I didn't invent Spike…. I'm sure you get the picture.  
**A/N:** Decided to change the rating here to M just to be safe. Not that it gets really raunchy later but I don't want to offend anyone. A big thanks for the great reviews I've gotten. You wouldn't believe how much of an ego booster those are for me! I hope you'll keep liking what I write.

**Chapter 4**

"Can we get out of here for a while?" Cordy whispered to Angel.

"Please."

They made some excuses and left without anyone objecting, or no one noticing. Xander was presenting inspired arguments to Anya about why some of his relatives should absolutely be expelled from the wedding reception. Willow was still fiddling around with some decorations for the wedding but mostly just stalling the time hoping she could keep Tara, who had come over to help, there a little longer. Dawn was up in her room and Spike and Buffy had hardly been seen or heard since their big revelation, except for Spike furiously banging on Dawns door commanding her to stop playing that horrible, idiotic and unhealthy music and singing along, or she would have to look up spare body parts on e-bay and have a very good doctor on stand-by. That threat had managed to silence the music for almost an hour now, which was the current record.

As soon as they were out of the door Angel passed Cordelia a stake. "Home sweet Hellmouth," she replied.

They walked away from the house and just walked without any special direction. "This sucks," Cordelia pouted. "I was just trying to be nice. I don't do that often. But it really sucks when it doesn't work."

They had gone out earlier on Cordy's suggestion of getting some dinner. No one had had any formed opinion on what to eat so she had figured the Double Meat Palace would be a safe bet. Greasy but effective. That really had blown up in her face.

"Don't worry about it Cordy. How are we supposed to know that Buffy works there and everyone hates that stuff now? It was a nice thought."

"I know. But it still sucks. Do you think she also wears that cow-hat?"

Angel chuckled.

They just kept walking. Cordelia broke the silence: "I'm really sorry I dragged you into this, Angel. That you had to find out about them and all this crap, flower arrangements etc. If I had any idea all this was going on here this weekend I would have just left the stuff."

"It's not your fault," he replied. "Plus. It's probably better to know than not to know. Even if it is a little strange."

Cordy looked down, skeptical of weather to ask the question in her mind. "Are you jealous?" There was a hint of hurt in her voice.

"It don't like it," he said. "But if you're asking if I still love her, that's a no, not that way… and Xander said she's been getting better…so maybe he's actually good for her." The last words were said with noticeable pain and so low that they were barely audible. "When I went to see her, just after she came back, she was in really bad shape and I couldn't do anything to help her, no matter how much I wanted to. I guess I have to be glad she found someone who could."

"Why don't we find some other more casual and happy topic?" Cordy said upbeat after a few minutes in rather gloomy silence.

"Okay. Anything particular you had in mind?" He smiled back at her.

"No. I don't know. We're back in Sunnydale. We both used to live here. Don't we have any pleasant memories from here?… That don't have to do with our exes, that is."

There was another long silence.

"Apparently the good memories don't come back as easily as the bad ones," Angel finally supplied.

"Yeah." Cordy answered. "I so don't miss this place. Wanna see how the Bronze looks after it's last catastrophically caused remodeling? I heard something about a troll."

"Sure. There really isn't anything else to do. Doesn't even seem to be much vampire activity tonight."

"Maybe they sensed you were here and fled," she suggested with a grin.

"That would be a first. Maybe there are some on the prowl at the Bronze. Some things just never change."

---

"Hello, I'm back," Anya yelled coming through the front door loaded with bags and parcels.

"This is all for just one night?" Willow asked wide-eyed coming down the stairs.

"Willow, this is the night before the most important night of my life. All the magazines say so," the blonde said sounding frustrated at the stupid question and handed the things she currently had in her hands to Willow who proceeded without argument in getting them up the stairs.

"Halfrek!" Anya started yelling again as it seemed to herself, as she was standing alone in the small foyer. "Halfrek!"

Suddenly a woman appeared out of nowhere in front of her. Anya squealed from joy and hugged her friend.

"So this is it," Halfrek stated. "You are really going to go through with this?"

"Halfrek, we've already been over this. I love him. I want to be with him forever."

"Fine," the redhead with the curls said in defeat. "I will support your choice even if I don't think I will ever understand how you could possible bring yourself to do this after all these years of offering vengeance to scorned women."

"Oh, you better support me. I'm not finding a new maid of honor the night before the wedding."

"No worries honey. Now where's that dress I was supposed to pick up. I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"You're working? Tonight?" Anya was royally offended.

"I'm sorry honey. It's a deal I've been waiting for ages to come through. But I promise it will go down tonight. I'll be here again tomorrow."

"Don't you dare to be late, Halfrek, or I will never speak to you again."

The two women were so wrapped up in their conversation neither of them had noticed the blond and unusually pale vampire standing still mid way down the stairs. Anya was first to realize that they were being watched.

"Spike, what are you doing there?"

He stood still and didn't answer with his eyes fixed on Halfrek with a look of amazement and confusion on his face. "You…? You two know each other?" he stammered.

"Yes Spike." Anya wasn't sure if to be confused or angry at the strange behavior of the normally cocky vampire. "This is my friend Halfrek. She's my maid of honor and just came by to get her dress. You know, the pretty one, that wasn't on sale."

Spike seemed to be in deep thought but kept his stare fixed on Halfrek. "You're a demon?" His face turned angry and in a split second he was down the stairs and had tackled Halfrek to the ground and was now shaking her and yelling furiously at her. "You're a vengeance demon? You stupid bint. Bloody vengeance demon. I spilled my heart out to you. You drove me out to her…." He was yelling incoherently to everyone around.

Anya tried to get him of her friend but with only human strength Spike didn't even notice her fists pounding on his shoulders.

"I handed you my heart, for Gods sake but no, you just had to stomp right over it, did you? Beneath you! Sodding vengeance demon. I was human! And they say I'm evil. Not compared to you…. Cecily!" Spike got up and stormed of through the kitchen slamming the back door behind him.

Buffy had only caught the very end of the show and now helped Anya helping Halfrek to her feet. "What happened?" she asked the two women.

"Who was that?" Halfrek asked in return turning back into her human face.

"Are you okay?" Anya asked her.

"Yeah. No big thing. He was just a little hysteric, not very accurate in his punches."

"What the hell happened" Buffy tried again but no one responding to her.

"That was Spike." Anya explained. "Apparently he's Buffy's new boyfriend. He's a vampire. Was he crying when he left?"

"Spike? The Spike? William the bloody Spike?"

"Yeah. You know him? He certainly seemed to know you?"

"No I never met him. I would have remembered that. I've always admired his work."

Buffy felt the jealousy rise up in her at the dreamy eyes Halfrek was making. "He called you Cecily," she tried once more to get in to the conversation.

"It was a name I used when I used to work undercover. I haven't used it in ages… not since the late nineteenth century maybe."

"Oh, God," Buffy whispered when the bit's and pieces of things Spike had told her fell in to place. "Where did he go?"

Anya pointed towards the back door but Buffy was already instinctively heading that way.

"That was strange." Anya stated. "And they are always telling me to be more normal. Maybe they need to work on it as well."

"You know humans, honey. Or vampires. Now where's that dress? I really have to get going."

---

"If you say one word about this to Wesley or Gunn you know I will have to kill you… or worse: lower your pay," Angel threatened seriously.

"Don't worry," Cordelia said while putting on her jacket as they were walking out of the Bronze. "Not that they would believe me anyway if I told them that you managed to slip up from your natural broody-ness and dance with me." Their eyes met both bearing evidence of the joking between them. "But thank you! I had a nice time – which is something I really didn't expect here in Sunnyhell."

"I also enjoyed myself."

"Yeah. Thank God you found these three vampires."

"I wasn't just talking about that." Angel's eyes lowered to look at Cordelia who this time didn't return his look.

"Let's get back to our damp cellar with a whole bunch of crazy people above us," she sighed. "You know. This Anya is really something. I thought I could handle anything having managed to drag Wesley to the mall that one time…. But she made me realize I have things to learn"

"You really managed to drag Wesley with you?"

"Of course I did. But I won't be doing that again I tell you. I wish you'd come with me some time. You have good taste."

"Won't be happening, Cordy!"

"We'll see."

"I'm not paying, that's for sure. Hey, you wanna sit down for a minute?" he asked as they past a bench.

"Sure."

"I guess I'm not ready to face all those people again." Instinctively Angel started looking around scanning their environment for dangers. Strangely enough the only thing that caught his attention was a small purple flower growing right beside the bench. It looked just like a normal violet there was a beautiful shade of red in the middle where the yellow would have normally been. He picked it up and without thinking about it raises it to his knows and smells it taking in a deep unnecessary breath. "hmmm… smells nice. Here smell it."

He raises the flower to Cordy's nose who also inhaled deeply. "Yes it does."

His eyes finally left the flower under Cordelia's nose and wandered up her face to meet her eyes. Their fingers touched and within seconds their lips were locked together in a deep and passionate kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

**Story rating:** R**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, I don't get any money for writing this….  
**A/N:** Please don't worry too much about where this fits in the timeline for AtS. Let's just pretend there was no Connor and no Gru in season 3. Enjoy.

**Chapter 5**

Angel forced himself to break the kiss although he really didn't want to. He also noticed Cordy wasn't all to happy with him for doing that, even if it gave her a chance to catch up on some breathing.

"Cordy, what's happening to us?"

"I don't know… I don't care," she said between tracing quick kisses along his jaw.

"Me too… which is not good."

"What? Why?" the girl asked confused and panting a little. "…Oh I get it…soul problem… yeah that definitely isn't good." She consciously tore herself away from him and put some distance between them again.

"Why are we doing this?" Angel asked trying to tackle the problem rationally.

"You don't like it?" She asked hesitantly.

"Oh, it's not that."

"Good."

"This is just very sudden and fast…" he was inching himself closer to Cordelia's end of the bench. "…and a bit out of control."

"It's like that time at the ballet…. " she was moving now also in his direction. "…only worse."

"This isn't an enclosed space where someone could hold such a spell."

"The flower, Angel. Take it with you. I think we should get back to Buffy's and see if we can figure something out."

"Yeah. But that's an awful long way though" he said in a husky voice and putting his arms around Cordy's waist and nuzzling at her neck as they slowly rose and tired to walk back with their limbs entwined.

---

Buffy didn't have to look far for Spike. He was lying on the back door porch looking at the few stars the electric lights of the town didn't manage to blur out. Even if the porch looked hard and cold he seemed to be so comfortable there that Buffy decided to join him. Without saying a word she lay down, put her head on his chest and stretched one arm around him. He didn't move a muscle and they lay like this for a few minutes in silence.

"How much did you get of what happened before," he finally asked.

"Just the end. But I think I've figured it out. You met Halfrek before, didn't you? Before you were turned. Only you knew her as Cecily."

"You remember."

There was another long pause in the conversation. It was surprisingly peaceful out there, Buffy thought. It was a nice change being on the outside and hearing the noises from the house from the other side. Right now Anya was expressing herself loudly in the kitchen. Willow was probably getting this speech since that unbearable Hanson song was once again sounding from Dawn's room above.

"I shouldn't be mad at her." Spike said calmly.

"What. Why not? She hurt you. You're allowed to be hurt and angry."

"She's the reason I'm here now. If it hadn't been for her I would never have met Dru and would have been six feet under for a good stretch of time now."

"So you adjusted. But she still treated you badly…." Buffy suddenly realized

something that cut her off. "You should also be mad at me. I didn't really treat you that well either. I'm sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. You at least had some right to say. I am beneath you. I'm a demon and you are… not. But a vengeance demon!"

"Spike, you're not beneath me and you have never been, especially not when I said you were. And as a human I can't imagine you not being worthy of anybody."

"Thanks pet, that's sweet."

"It's true."

"So luv," Spike was starting to sound more like his usual self. "When are we turning in? Are we waiting for the poofter to come back and rub it in is face or do you think it will be enough to hear him growl outside the door?"

"You're really staying the night?" There was disbelief in her voice but not exactly aversion.

"I'm bloody well not gonna give him the chance to sneak into your bed while I'm back at my crypt."

"That's not gonna happen, Spike. We're not like that anymore."

"Fine. But I'll feel a hell lot better knowing there won't be a chance of that happening. Plus it will really get on his nerves which is an extremely good bonus for me."

"There's really nothing for you to worry about, Spike."

"You telling me you don't love him anymore?" The sarcasm in his voice didn't hide the nervousness. He had already cried over one broken heart tonight and wasn't interested in adding to the list.

"I care about him. He'll always have a place in my heart but I'm not in love with him. And he's not in love with me. I think he might be in love with Cordelia, which is mindbogeling also… but I can't really be in love with him," she continued playfully. "Cause you see, I'm in love with this other really hot vampire, who is so much better for me."

"Is that so?"

"Uhu. Wanna guess who?"

"Let's see. Is it that lazy bugger Dracula?"

"Nobb."

"It better not be that disgusting slimebag the Immortal?"

"Who?"

"Maybe I'll tell you that story someday but who could it then be? I know! It's me isn't it?"

"Yes it is." She raised herself up and planted a kiss on his lips. "So what do you want as a reward for guessing?"

Spike pulls her closer and whispers something in her ear while watching her eyes widen to the size of saucers.

"I guess Willow really will have to crash with Dawn instead of me tonight." She panted flushed.

"Unless you want to include her, that's very negotiable, you know."

"Eeew, Spike."

"A fellow has to try."

"Maybe we could make some kind of deal. I have this idea, you see. You, me and Angel… and maybe oil of some kind…"

"Sure thing, honey. Not like we haven't done that before."

Her body went stiff with surprise. "What? You and Angel… Really?"

Spike burst into laughter. "No, way kitten. Never has and never will happen." He got to his feet and pulled her up. "Let's get inside."

---

In a dark alleyway somewhere between the Bronze and 1630 Revello Drive two brunettes are getting it on.

Cordy was leaning back against the filthy stone wall giving no thought to what that would do to her light blue jeans jacket. All she managed to think about were the cool fingers climbing higher and higher up under her skirt almost finding the lace panties she had on underneath. That and the stupid shirt button she had between her fingers and just wouldn't open. At last she just ripped it off and finally lowered her mouth to the cool flesh beneath licking, sucking and nibbling.

"Cordy," Angel moaned and raised her head from his skin.

"Eeeeeeehmmm" Something other than monosyllabic was out of the question as she was trying to close the small distance between them again.

"We need to keep moving." He was already contradicting himself by pulling her earlobe into his mouth.

"That is not helping."

"I know, I can't help myself."

"Really?" She took him by surprise and managed to get him with his back to the wall. Her hand now stroking his thigh. "I don't believe I'm actually suggesting this…" Her hand wandered higher than his had gone on her thigh and stroked over the prominent bulge in his pants. "…but maybe I could relieve some of your tension…. Buffy told me once: All that leaves you wanting for more is allowed."

"Oh Cordy," he just managed to moan.

With that she took of her jacket, folded it down, dropped to her knees and without problems buttoned down his fly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Story rating:** R**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, I don't get any money for writing this….

**Chapter 6**

Cordy's plan worked wonders. They weren't calm yet but at least they were making some progress in getting back to Buffy's house and could speak and try to find some solution to their dilemma.

"You really think you might… you know… with me? Go all evil grrr?" Cordy asked.

"I don't think we should take the chance."

"Then how are we going to stop this? The self control thing isn't really going well and won't get any easier…."

"We need precautions at least," Angel suggested.

"Do you want to ask Willow to be on standby outside the door? I'm not sure she'd like the idea."

They were finally there walking up the driveway and trying to find the key they had gotten. The house was already dark. Just standing still for a few seconds was enough to get them touching again and now grinding against each other in whatever way possible.

"Are you sure this isn't just pure lust… a lust spell or something that will only give you, like, moderate happiness?" Cordy asked raising herself to her toes in order to better be able to nibble on the upper part of his ear.

"It's not that simple."

"Are you sure?" She dragged him inside with her, slammed the door close and backed him into it. "There's a lot of lust here."

"Cordy… I love you."

She stepped away from him in utter surprise. "What?"

"I do."

"That was the worst thing you could have said." She slammed her mouth to his with such force that it made their teeth clatter.

"Cordelia?" Angel was out of breath even if he didn't need any. "We need to get Willow or Buffy or God forbid Spike. Anyone who can hold us apart. He drops his head back on the couch and slowly opens his eyes again as if he's afraid that Cordelia isn't really straddling him, that it's all just a dream.

"But that wouldn't be any fun for us."

"Cordy we can't… I really want to be with you but I don't think you'll like waking up next to Angelus."

"But I really want you, Angel."

"Me too."

"Is there no way?"

"Not unless you chain me up?"

Cordy's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "The shackles in the wall downstairs, they would hold you, right?"

"I guess. What? You really want to….?"

She was already dragging him towards the basement stairs. "Come on, where's the wicked vampire in you… not the psycho killing machine, just the slightly kinky one I know is inside there, hiding somewhere?"

"Be careful what you wish for," he whispered hoarsely in her ear and she had to grab a hold on the railing to prevent herself from falling down the stairs as her knees barely managed to carry her weight.


	7. Chapter 7

**Story rating:** R**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, I don't get any money for writing this….

**Chapter 7**

When Dawn awoke in the middle of the night, she felt like she had been traveling through a desert for two weeks without a drop of water. There was no other option than to get out of bed and down to the kitchen for something to drink. She had managed to get out of her room quietly enough not to wake Willow, but halfway down the stairs she froze in her step. She heard a muffled scream. Had that been a cry of someone in distress or something else? And where was it coming from?

When all had been quiet for a couple of minutes she ventured on. The second cry came when she stood in front of the refrigerator. This one was followed by a deep voiced moan and the noises definitely came from the basement.

'Someone got lucky' she thought to herself while pouring some juice into a glass.

Dawn had never really liked Angel. Not that she had really known him when he and Buffy had been together but now she couldn't overlook the fact that he was hot. Almost as good looking as Spike, but not nearly as fun. And Cordelia was pretty.

She had sometimes thought about what it sex really was like. If it really was endless moans and really stupid sentences like in the porn movie her friend Julie had found at her dad's and shared with her friends.

From what she heard now it didn't seem to be that way. Even if there were moans and screams it somehow sounded different. All of the sudden she realized she was standing just outside the basement door with one hand on the doorknob.

Could she? She had lots of experience in sneaking around the house and should she get caught she could always use her dumb kid 'out of jail free card' saying she heard a scream and thought someone was in trouble.

Slowly and very carefully Dawn moved down the stairs. When she saw them she could hardly believe her eyes. This was much better then that porn movie.

Angel was chained on his hands to the wall behind his head and his large body was splayed over the small cot. Cordy sat on his hips and rocked back and forth with her hands on his stomach to steady herself. As she sped up her pace their groans and moans became even more frequent.

"Oh God, Cordy!" Angel moaned. "Oh… I love you."

"I love you too. Oh my…" was her reply.

Dawn had thought the porno was very little romantic – it had almost been kind of sad. She thought it was funny that this, even if it looked much sleazier than the porno, somehow it felt far more romantic and intimate. This probably was very good porn, she thought before carefully sneaking up the stairs again and closing the door behind her without making a sound.

She could hear Cordy's and Angel's sounds fade away up the stairs. But when she was upstairs they suddenly were more audible again and something was different. Laughter. There was lot's of giggling – and this wasn't coming from downstairs but from Buffy's room. Apparently everyone except her was getting some. Maybe she put the moves on either Willow or Anya?

Once again Dawn found herself standing in front of a closed door with her hand on the doorknob wondering if to open it. This time it was her own door but she hesitated.

Buffy and Spike would be an interesting comparison to what she had just seen. Two real examples and the porno should give her a good idea of how it really was like. But she knew Buffy and Spike. She would have to look at them every day for who knows how long.

So what if curiosity had killed the cat – it wouldn't kill her. She let go of the doorknob and headed to the next door down across the hall and turned that doorknob slowly. The door silently opened just enough for her to peek in and she what was happening on the bed.

---

"No, I won't say it, Spike!" Buffy giggled as he adjusted himself on top of her, put a finger on her lips and stroked her slightly open mouth.

"Oh, but I think you need to say it," he tried convincing her while she took his finger in her mouth and gently started licking and sucking on it.

He in turn responded with a low moan but didn't give up. "Come on, Buffy, you know it's the truth. Nothing wrong with telling the truth."

She released his finger. "I just don't think you need an ego boost."

"Oh, come on, pet. Just say it…. Or else I won't do anything else to you."

She raised a brow at him. "Really? You wanna fight dirty?"

"I wouldn't consider this dirty. You just have to say that I'm the best lay you've ever had… which I already know is true and this will all be over… and we can resume our dirty play." He leaned his head forward as his tongue snuck out between his lips and gave her neck a quick lick.

"Fine, I'll just go to sleep then," Buffy answered stubbornly.

Spike didn't move and they emerged into a staring competition for a while. Buffy lost and slowly snaked her arms around him and caressed his back, gradually going lower and lower until she was completely stroking his ass under the thin sheet that covered them.

"Who's playing dirty now?" Spike asked.

"Don't you like it?"

"You can do anything you like. I'm not gonna do anything 'til you tell me what and extraordinary lover I am."

----

Dawn saw that Buffy's hold on Spike got firmer, like she was trying to get Spike to move on top of her. For the sake of what little innocence Dawn still had left she just hoped that the thin sheet covering the pair would stay in place a little longer. Finally Spike seemed to have given up as he started returning Buffy's caresses by kissing and nibbling on her neck and kneading her breasts in his hands.

This was a totally different situation than down in the basement. That had been hard and fast and frantic even if Angel and Cordy were in love. This on the other hand was soft and calm, fun and obviously filled with love.

Dawn silently closed and finally returned to her room. It would probably be better to be there when Cordy came to wake Willow to ensoul Angel again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Story rating:** R**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, I don't get any money for writing this….

**Chapter 8**

"Willow, Willow!"

The red haired witch thought she heard someone whisper her name outside the door. It was a strange dream – it felt so much like being awake. It took a few more repeatings of her name and a couple of gentle knocks on the door for her to realize that there was actually someone outside calling her.

Dawn was snoring on the other side of the bed, totally oblivious. She'd better go and see what was going on before that changed.

Willow was surprised to find Cordelia standing outside in the hallway. The former cheerleader was only wearing a large black t-shirt, which had to be Angel's, and had more tousled hair than the witch had imagined possible for the always impeccably groomed girl.

"Willow, thank God you're awake. You need to come now."

Before Willow had any chance to respond she was following Cordy's tow towards the stairs. Once down, Cordy stopped dead in her tracks and turned towards Willow with a confused expression on her face.

'Cordelia lost for words?' Willow thought. The world was definitely coming to an end.

Finally the dark haired girl took a deep breath and prepared to speak. "You need to curse Angel again."

"Oh". Willow was stunned. She hadn't expected this. It did confirm some suspicions but then something other occurred to her: "I can't."

"What? Sure you can. You've done it before."

"No I can't. I don't do magic anymore."

Cordy's shame was quickly lost to frustration and anger. "Willow. You don't just unlearn magic. How stupid do you think I am?"

"I can, technically, Cordelia. I'm just not allowed to do magic… I have this problem with addiction…"

"I'm sorry, but let me point out that one of the worst killers the world has ever known is chained in the basement?" From that Cordy made another surprising turn and started to beg. "You have to Willow, I don't know what Buffy would do if she found out."

"Found what out? That Angelus is tucked away in her basement or that you slept with Angel?"

"Does it matter?"

As she was fully realizing what had happened Willow was infected by Cordy's frustration. "And how the hell could you? And here of all places?"

"It wasn't our fault… really," Cordy tried to defend herself. "There was this flower… we were just out walking and sitting on a bench and everything was normal. Then we smelled this flower and all of the sudden we couldn't take our hands of each other. It was like we had to do it…. But we never would have…. And especially not here, you have to believe that. But focus Willow… we have to fix this before the others wake up… you have to do it."

Cordy almost had tears in her eyes now and that was enough to melt Willow. If strange things, like what Cordelia was describing did happen anywhere, it would be in Sunnydale.

"I'll call Tara. She can do it." Her look glanced over at the basement door and hardened. "You go down there and make sure the chains don't break."

"And what if they do?"

Willow stepped over to Buffy's weapon chest and tossed Cordelia a stake. "Or hope you have enough blood to keep him busy until we can curse him again."

With that she went to find the phone while trying to remember where she had filed the curse after using it the first time.


	9. Chapter 9

**Story rating:** R**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, I don't get any money for writing this….

**Chapter 9**

For the second time that night Dawn was sneaking down the stairs to her basement. She had left her room only seconds after Willow and heard the girls' conversation from the top of the stairs.

Cordelia was sitting on the last step with the stake in her hand just watching Angel, or Angelus squirming on the cot. Dawn couldn't wrap her head around why a man with the same face could have two names and supposedly two totally opposite personalities. And how come Spike only had one. How could he be both good and bad as the same person?  
The two personalities thing became a lot clearer when Angelus began to speak.

"Well, isn't here just a itsy bitsy tasty snack lurking at the top of the stairs? And would be doing a fine job if the only the only ones down here were stupid and ignorant humans like Cordelia. Come on down Dawn, I want to finally meet you in person."

"Go away, Dawn," Cordelia said firmly turning towards the girl. "You shouldn't be here."

The words did nothing to stop her. Once again Dawn's curiosity got the better of her. Buffy would totally flip and lock her up in her room forever if she knew what she was doing… but that only made it twice as exciting.

When she got to the bottom of the stairs she casually sat down beside Cordelia and pulled her own stake from the back of her pajamas bottom string.

Angelus just laughed at her move. "A little megalomaniac you are, little girl."

"I'm not a little girl," Dawn hissed back.

"Oooo, touchy. Have it your way. So you're not a little girl but last time I heard it was you sister who was the slayer so this stake won't do you any good. I could actually turn it against you and make it really painful."

Dawn couldn't help but look down at the wooden stick in her hand and go a little pale as the meaning of Angelus' words sank in. She tried to hide her feelings as much as she could but didn't think she was doing so well.

"Uhhhm. Nothing like the smell of fearful young girls in the morning. Or late at night. Or early in the night or whenever really."

"Dawn, you really shouldn't be here," Cordy tried again. "Buffy would not only kill you for being here – but more important, me too. And I really don't want that to happen."

The younger girls face turned from pale fear into an almost nasty grin. "On a scale of one to ten, how much worse would you rate this than seeing you and Angel go at it before?"

Now it was Cordelia's turn to go pale and she was speechless for the second time that night.

Angelus laughed. "You're a surprising little bit. A sneaky little perv. But hey, no one ever was worse for being a pervert. But maybe I should rewrite the little scenario I have of killing you in my head. Instead of just tasting you and snapping your neck while you're still conscious enough to realize what I'm about to do, maybe I should drink a little more. Just until your heartbeat starts to slow and becomes a weak rhythm compared to this loud and frantic patter it's now. Just for theatrical flare I would use the stake you brought to open up my wrist. And if you have made it stake sharp enough and I would get through the skin in time, you could live forever. I have a feeling that you would be a fine apprentice."

Now he didn't get to her. Dawn just treated Angelus like she did every other adult that she didn't want to listen to: ignored him completely and just kept talking to Cordelia.

"I personally think this is worse. The other was maybe a little dirty. I mean, it made the porn my friend had the other day look like cartoons, but it was also nice somehow."

"Buffy's so going to kill me," Cordelia mumbled.

"For what? Releasing Angelus or for me seeing you and Angel?"

"Take your pick."

"Well, if she doesn't find out about this… and I'm not gonna tell her, I think you'll be alright. And if she finds out about the other stuff you can just tell her that on my way back to my bed I also saw her and Spike. I doubt she'll say another word.

"Thanks – I guess."

The girls attention now went to the evil vampire on the bed who was fussing more than before and pulling his chains more. They just watched him from their spot on the stairs until suddenly his eyes lit up and something happened. Angel was back.

The door at the top of the stairs opened. "Did it work?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Dawn replied.

"Dawn? You're supposed to be upstairs sleeping." The two witches were now coming down the stairs. "Have you been here the whole time?" Willow asked.

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Oh. Shit. Buffy will kill me."

"You know, if Buffy would find out about all I do she wouldn't have any friends left."

"Yeah it worked." Cordy now said from Angel's side. "Thank you Willow and Tara." She stood up and hugged Tara. "Thank you!"

"You know, Angel," Willow started while releasing him from his constraints. "I think I know a spell that would bind your soul permanently. Tara's willing to do it if you want."

"Of course he wants it," Cordelia almost yelled grabbing Tara and hugging her again as well as Willow.

"Cordy," Angel said wearily. "It's not that simple."

Cordelia let the girls go at once and turned angry towards Angel. "Oh, no mister. There's no way I'm going to let you get away with doing this. There will be no 'I don't deserve to be happy' wollowing here. First of all you do deserve to be happy. I don't see why you can't do good in the name of redemption and still love and feel happiness once in a while. And secondly this stupid happiness clause of yours has stirred so much trouble over the years that even you should see that it's for the best to eliminate it. You do remember what happened here in Sunnydale, and what could have happened with that actress and now… In those few minutes you were awake as him you were already talking about turning Dawn and making her your apprentice."

"I'm actually flattered." Dawn chirped receiving angry glances from three pairs of eyes in return.

Angel sighed. "Alright. Do it."

"Ok." Tara answered. "But Dawn you really should go to sleep."

"Fine" the girl mumbled and went yawning up the stairs figuring most of the excitement being over anyway.

The spell only took a minute to perform and Angel did feel a difference but wasn't sure if to trust it blindly.

"Well… I guess there would be a way for us to test if it is there… or do you need enchanted flowers?" Cordy asked shy and bold at the same time.

"That is definitely an option," Willow supplied. "But I guess we should maybe leave you alone for that… Tara will be crashing on the couch though so if it shouldn't have worked…"

"Thanks again girls," Cordy called after them before climbing on top of Angel and putting his wrists back in the shackles.


	10. Chapter 10

**Story rating:** R**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, I don't get any money for writing this….  
**Author's note:** So here we go again… the last three chapters will be posted now.

**Chapter 10**

Buffy had reluctantly, but responsibly, set her alarm for 7.30 but it was almost nine when her unexpected roommate had agreed to let her leave the bed. The schedule would be a little tighter but it had been worth it, she thought to herself smiling and turned on the coffee maker. She was woken from her mental playback of her and Spike's morning activities by a knock on the front door.

Just as she went to open the door she heard the drumbeats start from Dawn's room. "Not that stupid Hanson CD again," she sighed.

When she opened the door Xander stood outside. "I hate relatives! Can I come in?"

"Anya's not up yet so I guess it's okay."

"Thank God. I can't take another minute over there. It's just plain madness. So how was your night?"

Buffy was just about to reply politely that it had been very nice when Spike came staggering to the kitchen not having bothered to button up his shirt or putting on socks. And just to put the finishing touch to it he was singing _Like a virgin_.

"Spike!" Buffy reprimanded hoping her lover could be just a little subtler towards Xander today.

"What? The bloody song was playing on your alarm when I woke up."

"You know, maybe aunt Edna's allergies aren't that bad a subject for discussion," Xander added.

Buffy was again standing at the coffee maker eagerly counting the drops falling into the pot and waiting for them to stop. Spike meanwhile made his way to the refrigerator, pulled out a jar of blood, poured from it into a mug and put in the microwave.

"You have blood here?" Xander asked surprised.

"Not usually. Just got it last night when I realized I was staying the night. You wouldn't want my grumbling stomach to interfere with your happy day now, would you?"

"Actually if you had an appetite for some of my relatives we could maybe come to an agreement."

The two men looked at each other with more understanding than ever before until Buffy's voice broke their moment. "That was a joke." She stated firmly. "A bad joke."

"Fine," Xander mumbled watching Spike reach for the Wheetabix pack form the cupboard above.

"You're not putting that in your blood in this house," Buffy said when she caught on to what he was doing.

"Don't worry. I was gonna eat it the old fashioned way, with milk and maybe some raisins for vitamins along with the calcium. The blood on the side."

"Eeew", echoed through the kitchen. And he reluctantly put the packet back. "Fine then."

Buffy was pouring herself her long wanted coffee and also cup for Xander. As she turned to get the milk from the refrigerator the microwave beeped. Spike pulled out his mug, left it on the table and went to raid the spice rack for something to add a little taste. Meanwhile Buffy handed Xander his cup and then reached for her own. "What are you looking for Spike?" She asked lifting a cup to her mouth not noticing that it wasn't her own.

"Morning Nibblet." Spike said turning around and seeing Dawn join them just as Buffy took a sip from the mug in her hand immediately releasing a shriek, rushing over to the sink and spitting out the blood from her mouth.

As the others realized what had just happened Dawn and Spike broke into a fit of giggles. Xander's face was disfigured in disgust. "This is just another reason why you shouldn't date vampires."

Spike took no notice of the insult on his way towards the sink where he gently took his mug from Buffy's hand putting it down on the counter before turning her face towards him and kissing the last remains of blood from her mouth while holding her in a passionate embrace.

"Oh, now I'm really going to be sick," Xander groaned as Spike's hands slowly wandered down Buffy's back caressing her ass. Finally they broke apart and Spike handed Buffy her coffee, took his blood and turned his attention to Xander.

"So go, if you find it so disgusting here. And wasn't your demon girl all superstitious yesterday and wasn't gonna see you before the wedding?"

"Well she's still sleeping and every moment away from my family is a good moment."

"Morning all," Willow chimed.

"Speaking of sleeping beauty," Buffy added to their previous conversation. "Should we maybe wake her?"

"No, please, let her sleep as long as possible," Xander answered. "Both for my sake and yours."

"Are Cordy and Angel up yet?" Willow asks trying not indicate anything but sharing a knowing look with Dawn.

As speaking of the devil Cordy opened the basement door. "I'm up. Angel will be right here."

"Let me guess. He's fixing his hair?" Spike asked sarcastically.

"And yours just glues back by itself?" the brunette mocked in response.

"Would you like some coffee, Cordelia?" Buffy intervened sending Spike and intent gaze telling him to behave.

Angel comes as promised and looks rather uncomfortably around the crowded kitchen. "You want anything, Angel?"

"Ehm… coffee would be good, I guess."

"You want blood with that?" Spike asked his grandsire almost politely, to the others surprise.

"Yes, that would be good." Angel was just as baffled as the others over Spike's offer.

Spike takes the jar from the refrigerator again, pours a mug and pops it in the microwave. "I'm just being nice because Buffy's gonna reward me for it later." The look on Spike's face left very little room for doubt about what kind of rewards he was talking about… especially with Buffy's face flaring up.

The silence following was finally broken by the beeping microwave.

"Thanks." Angel said when taking the mug from his grand-childe. "For the blood…. Not the other information."

"If it's alright I think I'll have first turn in the shower." Willow claimed putting her breakfast bowl in the sing. "And Cordy, your dress is up in Dawns room, along with mine and hers." With that she was up the stairs.

"What dress?"

Xander's face developed a nasty grin. "Anya had an epiphany last night about what to do with the fourth bridesmaids dress that she had to buy because of the two for one deal she got. She wants you to ware it. Apparently your shopping trip yesterday made quite an impression on her."

"She wants me to be one of her bridesmaids?"

"Yep. Since there was an extra dress it is economically feasible. Those were her exact words."

"Oh God. Is it horrible?" Cordy looked pleadingly at Buffy.

"Nah. Who doesn't look good in radioactive green?"

"Oh God," Cordelia sighed and leaned herself against Angel who put his arms around her and pulled her into a comforting hug.

Buffy raised a brow as this erased all doubts about Angel and Cordy's relationship form her mind. It was actually strange that she didn't feel any jealousy at all… just a little concerned over how content Angel looked.


	11. Chapter 11

**Story rating:** R**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, I don't get any money for writing this….

**Chapter 11**

"Dawn! You have to be ready in an hour and please turn down that stupid song. You've had it on repeat all morning." Buffy yelled at her sister's bedroom door. As she opened to see if the message had gotten through, the kitty-cat that Anya and Cordelia had brought home yesterday, shot like a bullet through the opening.

"Zac! Zac Hanson!" Dawn yelled and ran after it down the stairs where she, Angel and Cordelia, in her new self-luminous dress, watched it run in circles around them and meow madly. When Willow opened the front door from the outside the cat shot through and out into the sunshine where it immediately burst to flames and turned to dust. Their eyes widened and they looked at each other in shock.

"It was a vampire?" Buffy, who had come down the stairs just for the finish of he show, noted.

"Looked like." Cordelia supplied.

"I've heard rumors about some vampires actually turning animals, but I've never seen one before." Angel said.

"Why did it run into the sun if it was a vampire?" Dawn sounded like she was about to burst into tears.

"Maybe it didn't know that it couldn't handle it," Buffy suggested and shot a stern look at Angel and Cordy not to argue her.

Although visibly upset Dawn seemed to accept the explanation and went with heavy steps up to her room again, closed the door and turned up the stereo.

"I say it committed suicide because of the bad music it had to endure." Buffy said, shrug her shoulders and went to the kitchen to find Spike.

Nothing could have prepared her for the sight that met her. First she noticed that Spike was actually dressed in a suit. As in no jeans, a tucked in shirt, a tie and no leather jacket. Buffy's knees weakened at the sight of him so handsome. Second she noticed that Halfrek was in the kitchen with Spike and actually seemed to have cornered him between her and the sunlight and was…. Flirting with him?

The third thing Buffy noticed was how incredibly jealous this realization made her.

"If I had just known what potential was in you…" Halfrek was babbling to a very uncomfortable looking Spike leaning very close to him. "… I would have given you a second look. And the railroad spikes…. Such imagination. Not to mention two slayers… very impressive."

Halfrek leaned into Spike even further but he looked even more uncomfortable until he saw Buffy standing in the doorway.

"Oh, and his third slayer, the one he's sleeping with might just show some creativity in pummeling you if you don't lay off him." Buffy warned. Halfrek wasn't pleased but still made herself scarce.

Spike walked from his corner to a less sunlight surrounded part of the kitchen and gave Buffy a kiss. "Thanks pet. She managed to catch me off guard."

"No problem. I don't like her."

"Think you can save me from the flower girl as well?"

"What?" Buffy asked confused and saw Xander's cousin, who was the flower girl and was ten but totally going on fifteen walk in, turning her back towards Spike, totally ignoring Buffy's presence. Her dress was open at the back.

"Spike, could you do me up?" She said with a slightly husky voice obviously trying to be sexy. Buffy just barely managed to suppress the giggles of the absurdity of the situation and how incredibly embarrassed Spike was.

He slowly reached forward and started pulling up the zipper until it caught some of the girl's hair, she screamed in pain and abruptly turned away from Spike.

Buffy's laughter was even closer to coming to surface when the girl, with tears in her eyes, asked her to fix it. She soon got the hair out of the zipper and zipped up the dress. "That's men for you. Maybe you should let them be a few more years."


	12. Chapter 12

**Story rating:** R**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, I don't get any money for writing this….

**Chapter 12**

Buffy gently rested her head on Spike's shoulder and savored the moment. 'This is perfect' she thought to herself. She didn't dare to say it out loud, afraid to jinx it. She consciously decided to make a memory of this moment. The feel of the fabric of his shirt under her cheek, their fingers twined together, his hand on the small of her back, their closeness, their naturally perfectly synchronized movements… She sighed lightly on his shoulder.

"What?" he asked her nervously.

"Nothing." She said raising her head and smiled at him. "This is just so nice. Being together and everyone's happy for a change." She looked into his sparkling blue eyes and then around over the dance-floor. Xander and Anya were like glued together almost radiating of as much love as the four green bridesmaid dresses all together. Willow and Tara were also dancing and seemed to be getting along better. Dawn was conversing happily with some of the more harmless looking demons. Halfrek was nowhere to be seen and the most surprising happy feeling Buffy got from watching Angel and Cordelia dancing.

Buffy's eyes wandered back to her partner and found his eyes looking at her intently. She melted into his arms completely and her mind couldn't register anything else than the blue blue eyes staring at her and coming closer. When the eyes disappeared behind lash covered lids her focus turned to her lips that suddenly were touching his.

The kiss wasn't long or deep but it was so filled with emotions that Buffy was surprised her feet were still able to hold her own weight.

When she felt their lips part she kept her eyes closed afraid to break the spell they were under, afraid to wake up from this perfect dream. "I love you."

The words had left her mouth before her brain caught up with what she had been thinking.

Her eyes shot open and met Spike's who reflected nothing but utter surprise for a few seconds. They both stopped moving as the weight of what had just happened sank in to their consciousness. Buffy didn't lower her eyes or look away. All her fears and insecurities were running through her body at that exact moment as she had accidentally completely bared her heart to someone, and it scared the shit out of her. But she had meant what she said. She hoped her eyes would convince him of that.

Even if she was looking straight at him, Buffy couldn't read anything from his face. He looked like he was sculpted in stone. She didn't notice any change until her lips were suddenly being crushed under his. When he finally released her, as oxygen was becoming a serious issue for her, he said: "I love you too." The breathing pause didn't last any longer.

What had been the world around them now disappeared and their grip around each other tightened even more.

The End.

**Author's Note:**That's it folks! I hope I didn't disappoint too much. I do apologize for the extreme mushiness of the last chapter, but it had to end somehow.  
Many many thanks to the nice people that reviewed, added this to their favorites, subscribed to it and read it. I hope you had as much fun reading it as I had writing it (which was a lot).

Below is the original challenge (#17) posted by EvilKitteness (who doesn't have the same e-mail address anymore and therefore probably doesn't know of this story), probably some years ago at the bsdiaries webpage. I did a lot of it, but not all and some things are not very prominently featured. But I did it! I wrote a whole story and I posted it for other people to see. I'm gonna be proud of that 

Requirements:

-Must take place around the NEW episodes.  
-Must include a Buffy/Spike romance  
-Must include the phrase "I love you."  
-Must include the discovery of an undead animal (Ex: Vampire Dog)  
-Must include the 'Scooby Gang'  
-Must include Angel finding Buffy and Spike 'going at it' in her house anyplace but her bedroom.  
Must include Angel telling Xander what he saw and Xander freaking out.  
-Must include the phrase "Its me, isn't it?"  
-Must include Dawn singing a Hanson song and Buffy and Spike desperatley trying to get her to shut up.  
-Must include crying  
-Must include somebody trippin' on something (Ex: Spike trippin' on LSD.)  
-Must include Spike trying to grope Buffy in front of her friends. (He can be drunk)  
-Must include Spike discovering his former love Ceicly is actually (the vengence demon) Halfrek.

Extra:

-Spike singing a Madonna song  
-Angel tunring into Angelus because of Cordelia  
-A shower  
-An alleyway  
-The Doublemeat Palace  
-Dawn walking in while Buffy's having sex with Spike and watching them.  
-Halfrek hanging off of Spike non-stop.

-Buffy acidently taking a sip of blood out of Spike's mug  
-The phrase "Smells like pigs."  
-Some strange girl absolutley adoring Spike and Buffy getting jealous.


End file.
